Chapter 46

"Ah, there they are!"

Seungri blinked. He looked up and realised that he and G Dragon have been surrounded by reporters in an instant. Seungri had been so deep in his thoughts that he had walked out of the concert hall without realizing it.

G Dragon on the other hand, resisted the urge to scowl as the reporters crowded around him and Seungri, bombarding them with the same questions that he and Seungri didn't want to answer at the moment.

“Seungri, please explain your disappearance for the past 3 years.”

“G Dragon, is Seungri going solo since you have announced that big bang is now a band of four members?”

“G Dragon, please give us some information about Dae Sung’s condition.”

G Dragon frowned unhappily, knowing that the reporters will not go away until they answered their questions. G Dragon looked at Seungri worriedly. G Dragon noticed that Seungri seems to be focused away from everyone else and he had not spoken a single word since the start of the concert. G Dragon gave Seungri a calculating look before coming to a decision.

"Seungri,just stay here." G Dragon instructed.

Taking a deep breath, G Dragon gathered up his courage, raising his head to look at the reporters.

"Everyone, let’s go to a corner while I answer all your questions. Shall we?” G Dragon spoke as politely as he could.

The reporters all looked at each other, whispering excitedly amongst themselves and nodding their heads furiously in unison, giving G Dragon the space he needed to walk and followed him.

Even though G Dragon managed to bring a large group of reporters with him, there are some reporters who took the chance to make their way towards Seungri, their mikes held out in front of them as they bombarded him with questions while others directed their video cameras at him.

Seungri fought the urge to close his eyes against the blinding flashes of light that assaulted him. Seungri couldn't help but start to feel a little nervous as he wasn't used to people's attention being focused solely on him after being away from the limelight for 3 years. Suddenly, Seungri caught a glimpse of Tae Yang walking towards his direction and felt Tae Yang tighten his grip on his hand. Seungri was started in surprise as Tae Kyung took his hand.

“Do you want to face the reporters or you want to follow me?” Tae Yang said so softly that only Seungri could hear him.

Seungri eyes moved towards the reporters’ direction and numbly turned to face Tae yang. Seungri didn’t want to face the reporters and he didn’t want to follow Tae Yang either.

But before Seungri could say anything, Seungri felt Tae Yang tighten his grip on his hand, and Tae Yang shoved one of the cameras away from him, making the reporters around them paused in surprise.

Tae Yang smiled apologetically to the reporters. "Sorry but Seungri's not feeling very well right now…"

Completely ignoring the reporters now, Tae Yang shoved past the reporters, dragging Seungri with him, away from the reporters and away from the rest of the big bang members.

***

TOP’s eyes darted in alarm as watched Tae Yang and Seungri faded out of sight. TOP felt his heart beat a little faster while he tried to end the interview with the reporters as soon as possible.

TOP couldn't believe that Tae Yang dared to take Seungri with him under a crowd like this. TOP suddenly felt someone looking at him and turned his head and saw Hyun Seng looking at him. Hyun Seng seemed to be going through an internal battle of some sort as he clenched his jaw, gnashing his teeth together.

“Han River.” Hyun Seng mouthed the words to TOP before he bowed politely to the reporters and faded out of sight from TOP as well.

TOP cursed inwardly as he turned his attention reluctantly to the excited reporters who were starting to ask him endless questions.

“TOP, is Seungri going solo since you have announced that big bang is now a band of four members?”

"That's confidential information," TOP replied, his dark eyes surveying the excited reporters stoically.

“TOP, there are rumours that you and Shin Mina are dating. Is it true?”

“TOP, there are rumours that you are going to be playing the leading role in a movie, Alumni. Is it true?”

 “TOP, please give us some information about Dae Sung’s condition.”

TOP felt his patience running thin as he took a few purposeful steps forward to the reporters. His eyes fixed one of the reporters, making the reporter in front of him suddenly lost its entire colour on his face as TOP stood in front of the reporter.

The reporter and the others watched, confused and scared as to what TOP was going to do. Without saying a single word, TOP bend a little and reached towards the reporter in front of him. The reporter flinched hard and nearly jumped a foot in the air. The rest of the reporters just moved a few steps backwards, looking at what TOP is going to do with the reporter worriedly.

The atmosphere seemed devoid of air even though all TOP did was adjusting the tie on the reporter’s neck. TOP's hard glare never left the reporter's shaking form the whole time, making the reporter could find nothing to say and let out a breath of relief when TOP moved away from him.

TOP straightened to his full height, a suggestive smirk planted on his handsome features.

“Let’s continue with the interview.” TOP’s spoke monotonelessly. “Who will be the first one to interview me?”

The reporters stood where they were, not daring to ask anymore questions as they are afraid of taking a wrong step into TOP’s bad side

“No one?” TOP asked simply, raising an eyebrow.

The reporters all looked at each other, whispering amongst themselves on who would be the first one to interview the hot tempered celebrity in front of them.

TOP smiled in satisfaction as he noticed some of the reporters were trembling from head to foot.

“If that's all, I'll be going now." TOP smiled at the reporters. "Excuse me," he said as politely as he could.

Grudgingly, the reporters nodded reluctantly, before they dispersed slowly, making their way away from TOP.

Noticing that all the reporters have gotten away from him, TOP began to quickly walk away, a scowl replacing the smile on his face as he muttered a string of curses under his breath hoping that he could reach Seungri and Tae Yang in time.

***

There was a furious battle going on inside Seungri's mind. What Hyun Seng said to him before the performace appeared in his mind again. What did Hyun Seng meant? Why is Tae Yang dragging him away? Is Tae Yang helping him now? A memory of him knowing that Tae Yang and Hyun Seng were together in Japan swam to the forefront of his mind. Is it really a coincidence that Tae Yang is with Hyun Seng?

Seungri suddenly pulled out of his thoughts as he almost tripped when Tae Yang released his hand without warning.

Regaining his balance, Seungri looked at the surroundings around him. Realizing that they had reached a part where there was not a single soul, except them, in the area despite just being a few metres away from the concert hall.

Seungri could feel panic creeping up on his consciousness, noticing a river a few steps away from him.

Tae Yang stood with his back to Seungri, just staring out ahead, completely quiet. Seungri moved his gaze to Tae Yang. His guard was up now, hoping that the incident in Japan would not repeat itself.

“Tae Yang hyung,” Seungri said cautiously. “Let’s go back to the limousine. G Dragon and TOP hyung might be worried about us.”

Tae Yang said nothing for a minute, his face unreadable under the dim moonlight.

“Why are you so eager to get away from me, Seungri?” Tae Yang said finally. “Can’t I spend some time alone with you?”

"I doubt TOP hyung and G Dragon won’t mind.” Tae yang replied smoothly with a smile on his face.

Instead of agreeing to Tae Yang’s request, Seungri felt the whole place gave him a sinking sensation, a feeling that something bad is going to happen.

“Tae Yang hyung, we will catch up with each other next time. Let’s go back.” Seungri replied neutrally as he turned to move away from Tae Yang.

***

Tae Yang’s jaw clenched and his eyes flashed in anger as he sees Seungri moving away from him.

There’s no way that he would let Seungri get away from him like this. Not before he managed to see TOP save Seungri, proving that it was TOP who had heard his conversation with Dae Sung.

Adrenaline filled him at the thought and it took Tae Yang only a few seconds to pick up a broken plank of wood on the ground and hit Seungri’s head hard.

Seungri felt unbearable, terrible pain in his head when Tae Yang hit him with the plank of wood.

Seungri fell to his knees on the dirt stained ground, clutching his injured head with one hand and clenching his teeth hard against the immense pain.

“Why?”  Seungri gasped, his voice filled with pain and hatred. “What did I do that made you hate me so much?”

Tae Yang took a step closer towards Seungri and smiled, ignoring his questions.

Seungri could see the Tae Yang’s shadow walked towards him before his chin was grabbed roughly and lifted, forcing to see the malicious intent in his eyes.

Seungri watched, apprehension filling him as the Tae Yang ran his dark gaze over Seungri’s injured form. "But it looks like you're in no position to fight." Tae Yang said casually, with the levity one would use when making an idle comment about the weather.

“Actually, I do not have any intention in getting you hurt.” Tae yang spoke coldly, his smile fading, “What a waste that I have to use this method on you because you didn’t listen to me.”

Seungri felt the blood rise to his face as he shoved Tae Yang’s hand away from him and stood up.

Seungri got to his feet unsteadily and shook his head slowly, trying not to pass out before giving Tae Yang a punch on his face.

Tae Yang stumbled back a few steps, caught off by the sudden attack.

“How dare you!”  Tae Yang roared in anger and swang the plank of wood on Seungri’s head once more.

Seungri tried to regain his balance as he blinked rapidly, trying to claw his way back to full consciousness as quickly as he could.

However, before Seungri could react, Seungri felt a blow aimed at his stomach, sending him down into the river.

***

Seungri couldn't breathe. He could feel the water around him pressing down on his body deeper and deeper into the water.

Seungri could see lights popping in the darkness enclosing him, and he knew the lack of oxygen was finally shutting down his brain.

“Am I… going to die like this?”